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The Short-Scale Six-String Club Part 4 - for the original six-string basses!

#521
I have a relatively rare production sixer: The Wurlitzer 7771, '69 only, made by Crucianelli as part of a series usually badged for Welson.

7771.jpg


One of these was the first bass I ever played, and I used it on my first gigs and through my flirt with college.

I've had it strung as a baritone, and now I'm trying it again in the bass register (E-E). The 26" scale makes it a little harder to find the right string tension.

Three pickups with knob selector, two tone circuits (rhythm and solo, solo controlled with the thumbwheels), zero fret.

I'm working out with it with the idea of applying it in a blues/jazz duo situation, playing with thumbpick and fingers for simultaneous bass and rhythm parts.
 
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#523
Hey y'all. It's been quite some time since I've been on the forum. I wanted to flag this group down, and I'm so glad I went through four filled out threads to get here. You guys are spreading the love and knowledge of the superior six string.

Has anyone tried fitting an AllParts baritone Strat neck to a Fender/Squier Bass VI body? My neck is not doin' it for me anymore. I'd like to find a drop in replacement. I apologize if this question has already been answered, I haven't spent the TLC reading every page of this beautiful thread quite yet. Thanks for the read, and any help you may be able to offer!
 
#524
Jack Lemon said:
Hey y'all. It's been quite some time since I've been on the forum. I wanted to flag this group down, and I'm so glad I went through four filled out threads to get here. You guys are spreading the love and knowledge of the superior six string.

Has anyone tried fitting an AllParts baritone Strat neck to a Fender/Squier Bass VI body? My neck is not doin' it for me anymore. I'd like to find a drop in replacement. I apologize if this question has already been answered, I haven't spent the TLC reading every page of this beautiful thread quite yet. Thanks for the read, and any help you may be able to offer!
Click to expand...

I have no actual experience with the neck and body you're talking about. However, taking a look at the neck online, it looks like it is a 27.78 inch scale neck (not sure if that was supposed to be 27-7/8 in. scale) intended for installing on a body designed for 25.5 in. scale. Consequently, it's a 24 fret neck.

Since the Bass VI is a 30 in. scale instrument, I suspect that it will not be compatible with the neck from the perspective of fret placement (and therefore being able to play in tune).
 
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#525
I have no actual experience with the neck and body you're talking about. However, taking a look at the neck online, it looks like it is a 27.78 inch scale neck (not sure if that was supposed to be 27-7/8 in. scale) intended for installing on a body designed for 25.5 in. scale. Consequently, it's a 24 fret neck.

Since the Bass VI is a 30 in. scale instrument, I suspect that it will not be compatible with the neck from the perspective of fret placement (and therefore being able to play in tune).
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Couldn't that be fixed by moving the bridge to create the proper scale length (moving it forward)?
Greg
 
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#527
Interesting, thank you for the knowledge. Is there a drop in replacement neck(30'' scale) out there besides Warmoth? I'm not a fan of the headstock design for their Bass VI necks, and lack the tools and patience to sand a paddle down.
 
#530
hypercarrots said:
maybe usacg?
Invalid Link Removed
Click to expand...

I had seen this neck out there, and I appreciate the contribution. However, I'm trying to rebuild a Fender style Bass VI, as close to spec as possible. I'm not a fan of their paddle. I might be asking too much in trying to find this, but I MUST find a better neck with the Fender style headstock. Does anyone know neck builders on the forum? Are there any 30'' scale Fender baritone necks out there?
 
#531
So I've been in "the club" for about 3 years, but just mysteriously lost my Hellcat VI. I didn't do much adjustment to it besides LaBella flatwounds, and I really dug it. Only real downside was a super shallow sound on the low E.

I'm looking to replace it, and I have my eye on an Eastwood TB-64. Any advice? Warnings?
 
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#532
Jack Lemon said:
I had seen this neck out there, and I appreciate the contribution. However, I'm trying to rebuild a Fender style Bass VI, as close to spec as possible. I'm not a fan of their paddle. I might be asking too much in trying to find this, but I MUST find a better neck with the Fender style headstock. Does anyone know neck builders on the forum? Are there any 30'' scale Fender baritone necks out there?
Click to expand...
Orrr.. Does anyone have a spare PS VI neck lying around...?
 
#533
Sorry for double posting, I just spawned a thought. Does anyone have a usable bridge for a VI ? I can't get a Staytrem in the USA, and I'm not sold on a Mastery yet. I'd also prefer shelling out less than three hundred buckaroos for a decent bridge. I'd prefer one that has a mute, but any that intonate properly have my attention.
 
#534
Sad news. The very-inexpensive Harley Benton VS Vintage Bass VI has disappeared from the Thomann website, along with any mention of the entire VS Vintage series of instruments. A search query on the Thomann website yields no results, even though they still have a few VS Vintage series instruments in their clearance center (though, sadly, no Bass VI's). Sigh.......... guess I missed that bus, dammit!
Interesting news. This is now available from Gretsch.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G5566Sv--gretsch-g5566-jet-double-neck-silver-sparkle
It's being marketed as a normal 6-string guitar/baritone guitar double-neck, but with a 29.75" scale length and a 44.45 mm nut width, it seems it could just as easily be strung up as a short-scale 6-string bass. Thoughts?
Greg
P.S. It isn't inexpensive, $1150.00 from Sweetwater, almost $1000.00 at my local Sam Ash (Clearwater, Florida, where I saw the instrument).
 
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#535
The Eastwood TB-64 I was trying to buy fell through, so I just got a Gretch g5265 Electromatic Jet Baritone. I still have a set of Ernie Ball strings for my dear departed Hellcat, but there's talk on here of those being too short. I've got a set of D'Addario Bass VI strings on the way, but that .084 low E sounds like it'll be even more shallow and rattly than the .095 LaBella flats I had on my dear departed Hellcat.
 
#536
Jack Lemon... I made the topic about the bass vi neck on Offsetguitars... I have since found someone who is doing a periodically correct bass vi build for me in LPB. I'm not sure if this guy wants to take on another build as he is very busy with numerous other projects - and building is a hobby/side gig for him from his real job/life... I'll ask if he wants to take on another build and let you know what he says. He is building the body and neck by hand, painting, etc. Then using Fender parts to complete the build. He does do fantastic work, I've used him in the past so I can attest to his quality.
 
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#537
GZboat said:
Sad news. The very-inexpensive Harley Benton VS Vintage Bass VI has disappeared from the Thomann website, along with any mention of the entire VS Vintage series of instruments. A search query on the Thomann website yields no results, even though they still have a few VS Vintage series instruments in their clearance center (though, sadly, no Bass VI's). Sigh.......... guess I missed that bus, dammit!
Interesting news. This is now available from Gretsch.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G5566Sv--gretsch-g5566-jet-double-neck-silver-sparkle
It's being marketed as a normal 6-string guitar/baritone guitar double-neck, but with a 29.75" scale length and a 44.45 mm nut width, it seems it could just as easily be strung up as a short-scale 6-string bass. Thoughts?
Greg
P.S. It isn't inexpensive, $1150.00 from Sweetwater, almost $1000.00 at my local Sam Ash (Clearwater, Florida, where I saw the instrument).
Click to expand...

I use a G5265 (whis is also a 29.75" scale baritone) with Bass VI Strings with success. Low E is a bit floppy but usable. (I will eventually switch to Kallium strings to remedy this). The neck pickup works very well for bass tones and the bridge pickup is throaty and reacts very well with my OD pedal (Green Rhino) to the guitar tones territory. I love this instrument.
 
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#538
NO_Camping4U said:
Jack Lemon... I made the topic about the bass vi neck on Offsetguitars... I have since found someone who is doing a periodically correct bass vi build for me in LPB. I'm not sure if this guy wants to take on another build as he is very busy with numerous other projects - and building is a hobby/side gig for him from his real job/life... I'll ask if he wants to take on another build and let you know what he says. He is building the body and neck by hand, painting, etc. Then using Fender parts to complete the build. He does do fantastic work, I've used him in the past so I can attest to his quality.
Click to expand...

Thank ya, mister. Any info on a bridge replacement? Is there someone in this vast forum that could machine what I'm looking for?
 
#539
Staytrem 7.5 or 9.5 is an option. The Staytrem guy doesn't ship out of the US anymore. But there are generous folks on this forum, or Offsetguitar, SurfGuitar101, etc that will be happy to order and ship it to you.

The AVRI Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge can also work. As well as the Mustang bridge, I've heard.

The Mastery, while a fantastic bridge that is compatible, is not an option for me as the mute cannot be utilized. I do actually engage and enjoy the mute. But I also like it for the 'complete' look.
 
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#540
Kind of surprised I haven't visited this club - I'm a relatively long-time Bass VI owner - acquired mine in 2006 in a trade - it's one of the Japanese reissues from '96-'97 - I've been playing mine a lot the past year or so, working on using it basically like a P Bass or Jazz Bass, playing regular basslines with my fingers. Here is one example:

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For a long time I had misgivings about the stock pickups - not that I thought they sounded bad, just the usual GAS-induced thoughts like "should I get something more authentic?" "How good can these be?" "Should I get different pickups if I'm going to use it as a bass?" But this past year, I can safely say that I love these pickups! The neck pickup by itself with the tone turned down gets a nice growl, the nick & middle I can get a rounder tone with crisp high-end.

Biggest problem - hard to adjust the action and the bridge is so problematic! I've still got some fret-buzz with the low E but it's livable for me. It has an OLD set of LaBella roundwounds - probably put them on 9-10 years ago - I haven't played it much until recently! Someday I'll put a new set on, but these still work. I also had a set of LaBella flats from the same time, and finally tried putting them on - the E-string is too thick by the ball-end and won't fit into the bridge?!!!#*$&%^ Back in the pack they went...

I need to take some new pictures, but here's one.

33781686210_0c342565b3_o.jpg
 
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